Lions, Tigers, and Ghosts
by Devianta
Summary: Danny gets captured and put in the zoo.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey, folks! I'm sorry I haven't updated Half Prey or Fall From Grace but I simply don't have the time at this moment (Clockwork wouldn't stop it for me). I was at the zoo recently and this idea popped into my head. I'll probably make it into a story sooner or later but I just wanted to get the idea out now and see what you think. Anyway, here's the story. I still don't own DP but a sure as ever wish I did. Please R&R. Bye!

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Loins, Tigers, and Ghosts

He sat in the corner of the cage with his head in his hands. A steady stream of tears fell from his face. His pure white hair had several twigs in it. Any dignity he was had was taken when they threw him in here. At least they had let him keep his jumpsuit. Other than that he felt naked. Their stares stripped him down to his core. He was lonely. He was dirty. He was constantly scared. He was an animal in the Amity Park Zoo.

They fed him three times a day. He refused to eat. His greatest ambition now was starving himself to death just to escape the little kids' grimy fingers, high-pitched questions, and the adults' disgusted stares and muttered answers. He wouldn't even eat the food thrown through the bars at him. Yes, there was a sign on his cage that said, "Throw food at ghost kid". It was their way of humiliating him further. Actually, it wasn't their idea. It was it's idea. What's it? Vlad's 'it'. After the little incident with the toilet paper and the glue on Halloween, Vlad had been determined to get back at him. So here was Vlad's revenge. Danny in a cage, his secret revealed, and his dignity and pride stripped away by the public's cruel sense of entertainment.

The worst part of it was when his friends and family came to see him. Sam had tried to reach through the bars to touch him. Little did she know that the cage had electricity running through it to keep him inside. She ended up zapping him instead. He had never felt so much pain. It wasn't even the electricity that was painful. It was the knowledge that he could never be lovingly touched again. He was an animal in a cage. There was no love for him.


	2. Party of the Century

A/N: Okay folks I have a lot to explain. This is the second version of my original story about Danny getting thrown in the zoo. Personally I think this one is going to turn out better than Eidolon Albatross but that is for you to judge. This story is going to go back and forth between the past and the present. The first chapter was the present. This is the past. Okay? Okay. If you have any questions ask in a review or pm me. I don't own dp and I do not own the Hamster Dance. Now let's continue this story! And R&R!

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Party of the Century

Vlad woke up at the crack of dawn as was usual. It was a beautiful day! The sun was just peaking over the horizon and the birds were beginning to sing. He couldn't wait to continue his plotting, spying, and other evil activities. Today was going to be wonderful!

Vlad hopped in the shower and began washing. The room soon filled with steam and he turned up the hot water. He picked up his favorite shampoo he imported from France and squeezed some onto his hand. He washed his hair with it then rinsed. He did the same with his conditioner, also imported from France. Ah, what a remarkable scent. There was no better way to start off the day than with daffodil-scented shampoo and conditioner.

And quite suddenly the water turned ice cold. Vlad spun around and looked. The knob was turned to cold! But how did that happen? He turned it back to hot and picked up his soap. Now where was he?

"Hey!" The water was freezing again! He turned the water back to hot and heard a banging behind him. All twenty-four of his various shampoos, conditioners, and soaps fell to the floor. "Oh, snicker doodles!" He began picking them, but whenever he placed them back in their respective spots they fell back down again. The water was cold again.

Vlad turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. _Someone_ was obviously causing these problems and that someone was going to pay. He grabbed his robe and opened the door. It closed with a slam behind him. He stalked down the hall and to his lab.

"If he wants to play games then fine," Vlad growled. "We'll see how he feels when I'm through with him."

"Through with me? How can you ever be through with me?" asked an incredulous voice. Sitting on a table was the culprit looking more like a nine or ten year old than a teenager. His wide, emerald eyes stared at him in mock-innocence. Snowy white hair fell in his face. He wore a black and white jumpsuit and a bright ghostly glow. Some might mistake him for an angel, but Vlad knew better. This was no angel. He was more like a demon.

"What are you doing here, Daniel?" Vlad snapped. He transformed into his ghost mode, which resembled a vampire, and floated over to the boy who was now pretending to pout.

"Ah, can't a visit you Uncle Vlad? You visit me all the time! You visit me at school to 'correct' my test answers. You visit me at home to try to kill my dad. You visit me while I'm ghost hunting, or actually, you send your pet vultures to visit me while I'm ghost hunting. And now you visit me in my dreams to turn them into nightmares!" By the end of his rant he was shouting. He had long since dropped his act. The boy floated above him, hands clenched into fists. Emerald flames crackled around him, his powers overtaking him. He was allowing himself to lose control. Vlad floated backwards involuntarily. He had never known Daniel to act this way. This was new and kind of scary.

"Temper, temper, Daniel. You wouldn't want to lose complete control now would you? Especially since you are in my home, in my dominion, where I can do whatever I want. There's no one here to save you if I decide to finish you off. And there won't be anyone around to stop me from killing your father. Think about Daniel."

"No, Vlad. You should think about it," the boy said.

"Think about what?"

The boy smirked. He raised one hand to the side of his face and snapped his fingers. Out of nowhere, hundreds of ghosts appeared and his ghost portal, at the back of the room behind Daniel, opened.

"You should think about how I never come without backup and about what day it is."

Vlad blinked, mystified. How did he get all of those ghosts to follow him? Ghosts were self-centered creatures. Why would they help him? What did Daniel offer them to get them to do this? And what day was it?

"Fine, Daniel. I'll bite. What day is it?"

The boy didn't answer. Instead, he laughed. The other ghosts laughed with him. When he was done laughing and wiping tears from his eyes he pointed at Vlad.

"Get'em." The ghosts flew at Vlad who turned and fled up the stairs. He closed the lab door behind him even though he knew it would do nothing to stop the ghosts. He turned intangible and shot upwards through the roof. Once outside he turned around. No one was following him! He waited for a few minutes but nothing happened. No one came after him.

That's not to say that he didn't hear anything. No, he could hear music being played. He could hear shouts, laughs, and the refrigerator door opening and closing. They were having a party. Daniel and those ghosts kicked him out of his home so that they could have a party!

"That wretch! That no good, dirty rotten, pig stealing, ghost child kicked me out of my home to throw a party! Well, no more mister nice Vlad! I'll tear that fiend apart!" He flew back towards the house just as Daniel and several other ghosts came outside, rolls of toilet paper in their arms. The boy threw one into a tree. He chased after it, grabbed an end, and circled the tree. The other ghosts followed his example. Within minutes the tree was encased in the stuff. The ghosts laughed with glee and started on the next tree. Other ghosts came outside carrying a boom box. They put in a cd and started blasting music. The first song was The Hamster Dance. Several ghosts, some of which Vlad recognized, danced to it. Others set up beach chairs and umbrellas. They sat in the shade and sipped drinks (orange juice, apple juice, pop, etc.) from martini glasses. Someone found a volleyball net and set it up. Two teams were formed and started playing. It was an organized chaos.

Vlad hovered, staring down at the party in shock. He had lost track of Daniel. He was too busy watching his house being taken over. He wasn't even sure he could stop it. Actually, he knew he could, but it would take a full day of fighting each and every one of those ghosts to rid his house of all of them. The best way to go about this would be to find Daniel and beat him. Taking out the leader usually worked, but first he would have to find him again.

Vlad went to the back of the house. Picnic tables had been set up in the garden. Daniel was there with Skulker, Desiree, Ember, the Box Ghost, the Lunch Lady, Frostbite, Clockwork, and his two human friends, Sam and Tucker. A cake with black, green, and white icing was at the center of the table. Skulker tossed plates to all present. Forks were passed around. Desiree poured everyone drinks. After everything was distributed candles were placed on the cake.

That's when Vlad realized what day it was. It was the day Daniel received his ghost powers! He should have known!

"Everyone ready?" Ember asked. They nodded. "Good. I wasn't going to wait anyway. Okay. On the count of three. One, two, three… Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear…" At this point almost everyone called him something different. Skulker called him ghost child. Desiree called him ghost boy. Ember called him dip stick. The Box Ghost forgot who they were singing too. The Lunch Lady called him skin and bones. Frostbite called him 'Oh Great One'. Clockwork, Sam, and Tucker called him Danny. Everyone paused, looked at everyone else, then burst out laughing.

"People, people, it's just Danny. Okay?" Danny corrected.

"It's more fun to call you anything but," Ember said.

"The girl with fire for hair is right! I am the Box…"

Skulker fired some missiles at the Box Ghost before he could finish. Nobody reprimanded him for it either.

"Okay, but could you just call me by my name just this once? Please?" Danny asked.

"Fine," Ember grumbled.

Everyone started singing again. "Happy birthday dear Phantom! Happy birthday to you!"

Danny shrugged. "Close enough."

"Now blow the candles out already!" someone randomly shouted.

Danny sucked in a breath and blew. Unfortunately his breath came out as ice and froze the cake. Frostbite shook his head. Clockwork smirked, amused. Ember muttered something about him being a dipstick. The Lunch Lady ground her teeth and muttered something about this explaining everything. Everyone else rolled their eyes.

"Uh… Oops. Sorry," Danny apologized.

"Did anyone bring another cake?" Skulker asked.

"Yes, did anyone bring another cake for the ghost brat who can't control his powers," Vlad mocked. He glared at Daniel. "Really, Daniel. Celebrating with your enemies in an enemy home? You're more of an idiot than your father!"

"They're not my enemies today and I'm not an idiot," Daniel said while forming an orb of energy in his hands. "And neither is my father!" He blasted Vlad with it. He then picked up the frozen cake. Green energy shattered the ice. A grin split the young boy's face as he tossed it at the older ghost. The tri-color cake splattered leaving Vlad's white outfit in complete disarray. "Thus the origins of pound cake," Daniel said proudly. Vlad growled as the witnesses of his humiliation chuckled.

"I'll get you for this Daniel. Don't think that you'll get away with this."

But Daniel wasn't paying attention to him anymore. The Lunch Lady had produced another cake and was now serving it.

Daniel sat between Tucker and Sam. He took a forkful of his own cake, ate it, and then began eating off of Sam's plate. She didn't object. Tucker quickly finished his own slice. Seeing that the cake was gone he snagged Daniel's plate and finished it off.

Vlad watched, plotting his young nemesis' demise. The boy would pay that was for sure. If he wanted to be a party animal then that's what he would be.


	3. Everyone Knows Why the Caged Ghost Cries

A/N: And I bet you didn't think I would post another chapter to this fic! Well, I was in the mood to write so I did.

This is a very dark chapter. By the way, if I continue to write this fic, the format is going to be as follows: present, past, present... You get it right. The first chapter was the present as is this one. Chapter two was past.

Eh, you probably got the title allusion right? Good. If you didn't, ask me in a review and I'll explain.

Please read 'n review! Enjoy!

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Everyone Knows Why the Caged Ghost Cries

To say that nobody knew what that poor half ghost went through while in the zoo would be a blatant lie. To say that nobody talked about it would be a sickening truth. It was true after all. Everyone knew exactly what he endured, but nobody spoke of it. He was part ghost and that was what they feared. They feared ghosts, hated them. He was part ghost and that was the half of him they wanted tortured, abused, destroyed… whatever it took! They wanted it tamed. They wanted every ghost in existence to know that they could defend themselves and if they dared step out of line they would face the same fate as the half ghost. Mayor Masters promised them that every ghost they caught would be placed in a zoo, a special zoo.

But they didn't talk about it. The humans didn't advertise any of it. They knew the truth. The ghost in the zoo was indeed half human. He had red blood in his veins same as them. He could talk, breathe, eat, sleep, cry, laugh, et cetera just like them. His humanity scared them, but tormenting his ghost half was comforting.

These two feelings did battle in their hearts and minds and none would dare breathe a word of this until someone, somewhere came up with an answer to this moralistic question. The subject was taboo to everyone in the world (yes, everyone in the world knew of it).

So the people went to the zoo and they saw the ghost. When they saw him, they pretended he was full ghost, not half. They pretended he lied to them, saying he was half ghost, half of them. They pretended he was evil, the source of all evil. When he begged them to stop mocking him, throwing food at him, jeering at him, and treating him like so much dirt beneath their shoes their voices would only grow louder to block him out. They hit him harder and faster to force him to stop speaking the truth. They didn't want to hear it. They didn't want to believe that they had done wrong.

The zoo management made sure that his little cage was as cold as it could get. Each night, the little ghost would crawl up to a corner of his cage and curl up into a tight little ball. He tried to sleep as much as possible. Everyone knew that he dreamed of his human days.

In the dead hours of the morning someone would come in to clean the cages. They always made sure the water was either bitterly cold or deathly hot when they aimed the water in his direction.

On some days, a vet would come to the zoo to inspect the animals, give them shots, and other such things. He was a cruel man and he always brought a long, dull needle to poke and prod the half ghost with. And there was always something in the needle, some fiery liquid that the vet would inject into him. This concoction always left him screaming for at least eight hours. Then he would full unconscious for a day. Even when he woke up, he refused to eat. This procedure nearly killed him several times. The half ghost wished it had.

Things went like this for a long time. Months, years, nobody is sure. Then one day, the zoo hired another keeper. She was nice and she really liked the half ghost. She said that he reminded her of someone.

At first he didn't trust her. He would run away as soon as she came within a few feet of him. However, like the hopeful little creature he was, he let her somewhat near him. After a few months, he allowed her to touch him. After a year, he allowed her to hold him. She cried with joy when he permitted this.

She started bringing him fresh fruit and vegetables and even meat on some days. On some holidays, she even snuck him out of his cage for a bubble bath. It was the first time in years that he actually got a bath. He spoke his first words to her on this day. He said "thank you".

But all good things must come to an end. The keeper was found out when a sick pervert caught them hugging. The rat tattled on them. Mayor Masters had her executed in front of the half ghost. It wasn't until decades later that the body was found and identified as a woman named "Jazz Fenton".

The half ghost didn't stop crying for months after that. Some say he was trying to drown himself in his own tears. He nearly succeeded at it too. However, the vet came and knocked him out for a good long time. After five days of uninterrupted sleep he awoke. He no longer cried. He just sat there and stared straight ahead without blinking or moving. It was a sad state of affairs.

Somehow, the public knew what had happened even though the death of the keeper failed to turn up in the newspapers. People, oddly enough, stopped looking at his cage. They passed it by as if it weren't even there. The half ghost appreciated this. He wanted to die more than ever and he didn't want anyone to stare.


End file.
